Question about the Pill and conception.?

Question

I am well aware that if you miss a pill, you can get pregnant. How come, then, you are able to come off it for a week for your bleed and yet do not get pregnant? I just don't really get it. I know it's a breakthrough bleed, not a period you have when off the pill. But I don't get what the difference is between skiping it for that week or missing one single pill. Sensible answers only, please.

I am not trying not to get pregnant, I was only curious in general. I am coming off the pill to ttc.

I think my question is pretty clear; how come if you miss a single pill you can get pregnant but on your week off it per month, you are supposedly protected against pregnancy. As I also said, this does not concern me as I no longer take the pill.

Another thing to add; I was on 3 different types of pill when I used to take them, and none of them had placebo pills; never heard of that before...

Answer 1

From how I understand it when your on your seven day break you have already taken the full course (providing no pills have been missed) so to speak, therefore you are protected as there is enough hormone to prevent you concieving.
However if you miss a pill then the hormone level is decreased thus allowing conception.
If you miss a pill you can get pregnant because it is in the middle of a packet and the hormone level has not been maintained.
I guess thats why they tell you to take the pill for at least a week (when you start the pill) before you are protected.
HTH

Answer 2

Its because of the cycle of hormones of hormones you're taking. During the month, you take estrogen or some estrogen/progesterone mix to fool the body into thinking you are pregnant, so you don't ovulate. THen at around day 21, you stop the pill for a week (or sometimes you take a placebo pill for 7 days to keep up the routine of a daily pill) so you're body is able to shed the built up uterine lining/have a period. If you miss just one pill during the month when your body is supposed to be tricked into thinking it's pregnant, you can kick start the ovulation process and possibly become pregnant.

Answer 3

Hi,

Well done for being brave enough to ask the question. The pill works in two ways:

1. by surpressing ovulation, and
2. in case ovulation does occur by preventing the newly concieved child from implanting in the uterus (the pill changes the texture of your uterus from something soft (like the inside of your cheek) to something hard (like your heel)).

I think the best thing for you to do is actually learn how your body works by taking an NFP course. Modern Natural Family Planning is more effective than taking the Pill and has none of the side effects. For example, did you know that there are actually only one or two days every month when you can get pregnant? It is very easy to find out when those days are!

I recommend you contact www.lifeuk.org or their fertility group at http://www.lifefertilitycare.co.uk for more information. You can also do a home study course with www.ccli.org (this is an American Catholic organisation, but they are VERY good).

Good luck with your voyage of discovery!

Answer 4

My girlfriend's mum (a gynacologist) has confirmed that you take the pill for 21 days, which is basically one month's dose split 21 ways. If you miss one, you are not getting a full dose for the month, and therefore your hormone levels MAY potentially leave you able to conceive. The suggestion to use alternatives for a week if you miss a dose is just a precaution, to keep you as near as possible to the 100% protection mark.

Answer 5

Your question is a little muddled and it's not 100% clear what you're asking but I think it's something about when you can conceive - you need to bear in mind that the pill is a concoction of chemicals that does some quite complicated things to you body and you need to give it time to get back to a normal rhythm. If you have any genuine concerns that something's not right, then you need to get yourself to your doctor or local sexual health clinic as soon as possible and not rely on Yahoo! Answers of all things! All you'll get here is a load of people giving you ill-informed advice or telling you god doesn't want you to take the pill, anything bad that happens is a punishment, etc yadda yadda.... Consult someone professional.

Answer 6

When you take the palcebo pills one week out of every month, that is because that is when you're going to have your menstrual cycle. There will be no released egg in your body at this time, because you have already taken all the pills prior in that that stopped an egg from being released. However, if you skip a 'real' active pill in your package of pills, that could cause that egg to sneak out and be released and hense, you could become pregnant.

Answer 7

The 21 days dosage of pills has the power to 'kill' sperm for the 7 days that you are off the pill.
If you miss the pill within the 21 days, the hormone levels drop and therefore the effect of the pill becomes weakened, thus the possibility of pregnancy. Hope this clarifies the mistery...

Answer 8

the only way u will b able to take ur break and still not be able to get pregnant is if you have taken the full pack with out missing any, if you do miss 1 or 2, then simply continue with another pack on the last piss therefore missing your break.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

when you are off it during your on the rag, the pill is stll in your system. It allows your period to start. It complicated but this should help